Online slots are now so diverse that there are thousands to choose from, with over a hundred software providers developing the games. Naturally, a good video slot will come with a host of features, and these are usually triggered by special symbols. The more complex slot machines get, the trickier it is to understand how they work.
Fortunately, there are some symbols which remain relatively ever-present in slots. If you’re new to gambling online, allow me to walk you through some of the more classic slot special symbols that you need to know about if you want to trigger bonuses and win big. Here’s what you need to know:
Wild Symbols
Firstly, I should cover wild symbols. Whether you’re playing a top progressive jackpot slot such as Mega Moolah or something cute and cuddly like the ever-popular Fluffy Favourites slot, there are usually wild symbols present in the game. These act in relatively the same way as a joker card does in a deck of cards – they can act in the place of any standard paying symbol you may need to win on a line. There are also several different types of wilds, and the most common ones include:
Expanding Wilds
Expanding wilds do exactly as their name suggests. They initially appear as singular wilds, but when they land on the reels, they can expand to cover one or more spaces. Sometimes, they may even cover an entire reel.
Walking Wilds
Walking Wilds first appeared in games like NetEnt’s Jack and the Beanstalk slot. When they appear on the reels, they will gradually walk their way from one side of the reels to the other, triggering a re-spin each time they shift to another reel until they disappear completely.
Sticky Wilds
Sticky wilds are personal favourites of mine. They get their name “sticky wilds” because when they show up, they tend to stick around for a spin or two, which may be a re-spin, a free spin, or a paid spin. Those which remain in place for a designated number of spins may be called “frozen wilds”.
Other Wilds
There are other wild symbols for you to explore, too. Stacked wilds cover two or three places on the reels. Multiplier wilds offer you increased wins by multiplying the value of whatever winning combo they appear in. Scatter wilds act as both scatter symbols and wild symbols in one. There are others, too, but these are less conventional, so you can explore those at your leisure.
Scatter Symbols
Scatter symbols are also commonplace in most slots. These symbols get their name because they will play a part and count no matter where they appear on the reels, even if they are scattered and don’t appear on paylines. Scatter wilds can offer instant cash prizes and trigger bonus rounds, and in many cases, they will do both. You often need three or more to activate bonuses, though.
Bonus Symbols
Bonus symbols can also trigger bonus features. However, unlike scatters, they are required to land on specific reels, often the first, third and fifth reels, although this varies from game to game. If you land the required number of bonus symbols, you’ll trigger the feature associated with them.
Jackpot Symbols
Jackpot symbols are exactly as they sound. When these icons appear on a payline (perhaps even a specific payline), they can trigger a jackpot. This will be either non-progressive or progressive, based on the nature of the game.
Multipliers
Multiplier symbols can be fun. They don’t often appear on their own. Instead, they regularly appear as wild symbols with added multipliers. However, some multiplier symbols may be conventional paying icons with multipliers or cash values attached to them. They may or may not need to appear in winning combos to count.
Colossal Symbols
Colossal symbols are another favourite of mine. These are symbols that cover 2×2, 3×3, or even larger spaces on the reels. When they show up, a big win is almost guaranteed, as you’ll have many of the symbols already locked into place to bag a prize.
Split Symbols
Split symbols can make it possible to win with unconventional combos. For instance, five-of-a-kind is usually the maximum combo you can land in an online slot. However, split symbols see icons count as two or even three symbols. Therefore, with split symbols, it is possible to land ten-of-a-kind combos, fifteen-of-a-kind combos, or even higher combinations on the reels.
Mystery Symbols
Common in NetEnt slots, mystery symbols are sort of like wild icons – but not really. Land these on the reels, and all instances of them will transform into the same symbol. Unlike wilds, they can’t be used for any symbol you need to land a win. They will all become the same symbol. However, they seldom arrive alone, ensuring that you have a good number of the same icons on the reels to almost guarantee a win of some kind.
Top Tips for Playing Games with Special Symbols
I’ve played for over fifteen years, and in that time, I’ve encountered all sorts of special symbols in slots. I’ve also put together a few top tips that will help you make use of them. I’m going to share those with you below. They include:
- The fewer special symbols you have in a slot machine, the more likely you are to land a win.
- Scatter wilds are not to be missed, as they offer multiple features with just one symbol hogging the reels.
- Bonus symbols are worse than scatters, as they must land on specific reels to trigger bonuses.
- Mystery symbols which appear grouped can be more beneficial than wild symbols.
- Try to avoid games which have too many bonus symbols. The more there are, the more complicated it will be for you to trigger a feature when playing.
Play the Best Online Slots with Top Features Today
Now that you know the basics behind slot symbols, you’re ready to play. Head to any non-GamStop casino or top-rated independent online casinos featured on this page to take your pick from thousands of top-rated, RNG-certified slots that carry an innumerable number of features, symbols, and goodies.
Best independent online casinos
Casino | Bonus | Info | Play |
 | 950% £7000 |
|  18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 250% £1500 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 400% £800 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 222% £1000 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 300% £1200 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 400% £1200 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |
 | 750% £3000 |
| 18+ | T&C Apply |